Pune: A businessman and his woman accomplice, who claimed to have supernatural powers, were arrested by Pune police after the businessman allegedly raped a college student and a 13-year-old school girl under pretext of removing them from the spell of black magic. His juvenile employee was also detained on rape charges. The woman had taken the girls to the businessman.
 
The incident came to light after one of the girl approached  the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS) members. The MANS activists contacted the social security cell (SSC), after which the police swung into action.
 
The arrested accused were identified as businessman Shafiq Rafiq Shaikh (28) and his aide Fareen Farukh Shaikh (20), both residents of Kondhwa. He runs a business of supplying pandals for marriage ceremonies. 

According to the police, the 20-year-old girl, an FYBCom student faced some issues in her studies, following which her mother approached Fareen in 2016. The accused assured that she will help the girl write her exams properly with her supernatural powers. Fareen started spending time with the girl and even went to her college.
  
As per the FIR, the victims were made to do menial work and if not done properly, they were beaten up and threatened with spreading of rumours that the girls were having an affair. Fareen took the the victims to Shafiq who allegedlyraped them. His juvenile employee also sexually abused them, says the FIR.

Senior Inspector Anil Patrudkar, in-charge of Mundhwa police station, said, “We registered the FIR on Tuesday and arrested the accused immediately. The accused persons have been charged for offences under the Indian Penal Code, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act.”

Both accused were remanded in police custody till Monday by a special court.